Cable management display

ABSTRACT

For cable management, a bi-stable liquid crystal display is positioned on an exterior segment of a communications cable. A display module that connects to the bi-stable liquid crystal display, connects to the communications cable with one or more pins, and receives the signal associated with one or more messages about the communications cable. The display module further causes the one or more messages to be shown on the bi-stable liquid crystal display in response to the display module receiving the signal.

The is a continuation application of and claims priority to U.S. Pat.No. 8,493,228, originally application Ser. No. 12,859,528, entitled“Cable Management Display” and filed on Aug. 19, 2010 for TaraAstigarraga et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to communications cables andmore particularly relates to providing a display on communicationscables to aid in cable management.

BACKGROUND Description of the Related Art

Cable management can be a notoriously difficult problem in data centersand other installations that use large amounts of cable to connectcomputers and computing devices. For example, a storage area network(SAN) may have communications cables such as Ethernet cables, FibreChannel cables, and others that connect the various components of theSAN. In a large data center, the tangle of communications cables canbecome so complex that the resulting hugger-mugger is often referred toas a bird's nests. It can be extremely difficult to determine what aparticular communications cable connects to, or to follow its lengthfrom one connection to the other. This presents problems when trying toservice or manage the data center.

BRIEF SUMMARY

A communications cable has been developed in response to the presentstate of the art, and in particular, in response to the problems andneeds in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currentlyavailable cable management systems. Accordingly, the applicants havedeveloped an improved cable management product.

A messaging apparatus for a communications cable includes a bi-stableliquid crystal display (such as a ferroelectric liquid crystal display,or FLCD) that is configured to be positioned on an exterior segment ofthe communications cable. For example, the messaging apparatus may bepart of a connector for the communications cable, such as an 8P8Cconnector. A display module connects to the bi-stable liquid crystaldisplay. The display module receives a signal associated with one ormore messages about the communications cable and causes the messages tobe shown on the bi-stable liquid crystal display when the display modulereceives the signal. The message may include characters, numbers, andcolors.

The signal may be sent to the to the display module over thecommunications cable, with the signal being generated by a signalgeneration module. The signal generation module may be part of acomputing device (such as a switch) connected to the communicationscable, or may be realized in a hand-held driver. The display module maybe connected to pins of the communications cable to enable it to receivesignals. The display module may, for example, be connected to a groundpin, a signal pin, a horizontal position pin, and a vertical positionpin of the connector. The messaging apparatus may, in certainembodiments, use low pass filters and/or high pass filters to separatesignals intended for the display module and those signals intended forcomputing devices communicating over the communications cable.

The signal may include a set signal, a horizontal location signal, and avertical location signal to indicate which pixel to target and whataction should be taken (for example, lighten or darken) at that pixel.The signal may include one or more pulses. Once the signal is complete,a message will be displayed on the bi-stable liquid crystal display.

The cable management approach disclosed herein may be realized as partof a system. The system may include a communications cable with a firstmessaging apparatus and a second messaging apparatus. These messagingapparatus may be built into the connectors for the communications cableand attached to each end of the communications cable. The system mayalso include signal generation modules that send signals to themessaging apparatuses. As noted above, these signal generation modulesmay be located in the computing devices that communicate over thecommunications cable or may be located in hand held drivers.

The cable management approach may involve a method. The method mayinvolve connecting a display to an exterior segment of a communicationscable and connecting the display module to the display and to the pinsof the communications cable. The method may also involve configuring thesignal generation module to send a signal to the display module, andconfiguring the display module to show a message on the display inresponse to receiving the signal.

References throughout this specification to features, advantages, orsimilar language do not imply that all of the features and advantagesmay be realized in any single embodiment. Rather, language referring tothe features and advantages is understood to mean that a specificfeature, advantage, or characteristic is included in at least oneembodiment. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and similarlanguage, throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily,refer to the same embodiment.

Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics ofthe embodiments may be combined in any suitable manner. One skilled inthe relevant art will recognize that the embodiments may be practicedwithout one or more of the specific features or advantages of aparticular embodiment. In other instances, additional features andadvantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not bepresent in all embodiments.

These features and advantages of the embodiments will become more fullyapparent from the following description and appended claims, or may belearned by the practice of embodiments as set forth hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the advantages of the embodiments of the invention will bereadily understood, a more particular description of the embodimentsbriefly described above will be rendered by reference to specificembodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understandingthat these drawings depict only some embodiments and are not thereforeto be considered to be limiting of scope, the embodiments will bedescribed and explained with additional specificity and detail throughthe use of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of acommunications cable with a display;

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of amessaging apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment ofconnector for a communications cable having a display;

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of adisplay module in communication with a display and a communicationscable;

FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment ofcommunications cable with displays on each terminated end; and

FIG. 6 is a flow chart diagram illustrating one embodiment of a methodfor configuring a communications cable with a display.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the presentinvention may be embodied as a system, method or computer programproduct. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention may take the formof an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment(including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or anembodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may allgenerally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module” or “system.”Furthermore, aspects of the present invention may take the form of acomputer program product embodied in one or more computer readablemedium(s) having computer readable program code embodied thereon.

Many of the functional units described in this specification have beenlabeled as modules, in order to more particularly emphasize theirimplementation independence. For example, a module may be implemented asa hardware circuit comprising custom VLSI circuits or gate arrays,off-the-shelf semiconductors such as logic chips, transistors, or otherdiscrete components. A module may also be implemented in microcode,firmware, or the like of programmable hardware devices such as fieldprogrammable gate arrays, programmable array logic, programmable logicdevices or the like.

Modules may also be implemented in software for execution by varioustypes of processors. An identified module of computer readable programcode may, for instance, comprise one or more physical or logical blocksof computer instructions which may, for instance, be organized as anobject, procedure, or function. Nevertheless, the executables of anidentified module need not be physically located together, but maycomprise disparate instructions stored in different locations which,when joined logically together, comprise the module and achieve thestated purpose for the module.

Indeed, a module of computer readable program code may be a singleinstruction, or many instructions, and may even be distributed overseveral different code segments, among different programs, and acrossseveral memory devices. Similarly, operational data may be identifiedand illustrated herein within modules, and may be embodied in anysuitable form and organized within any suitable type of data structure.The operational data may be collected as a single data set, or may bedistributed over different locations including over different storagedevices, and may exist, at least partially, merely as electronic signalson a system or network. Where a module or portions of a module areimplemented in software, the computer readable program code may bestored and/or propagated on in one or more computer readable medium(s).

The computer readable medium may be a tangible computer readable storagemedium storing the computer readable program code. The computer readablestorage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic,magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, holographic,micromechanical, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or anysuitable combination of the foregoing.

More specific examples of the computer readable medium may include butare not limited to a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a randomaccess memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmableread-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a portable compact discread-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disc (DVD), a Blu-RayDisc (BD), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, aholographic storage medium, a micromechanical storage device, or anysuitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document,a computer readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that cancontain, and/or store computer readable program code for use by and/orin connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, ordevice.

The computer readable medium may also be a computer readable signalmedium. A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated datasignal with computer readable program code embodied therein, forexample, in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagatedsignal may take any of a variety of forms, including, but not limitedto, electrical, electro-magnetic, magnetic, optical, or any suitablecombination thereof. A computer readable signal medium may be anycomputer readable medium that is not a computer readable storage mediumand that can communicate, propagate, or transport computer readableprogram code for use by or in connection with an instruction executionsystem, apparatus, or device. Computer readable program code embodied ona computer readable signal medium may be transmitted using anyappropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wireline,optical fiber cable, Radio Frequency (RF), or the like, or any suitablecombination of the foregoing.

In one embodiment, the computer readable medium may comprise acombination of one or more computer readable storage mediums and one ormore computer readable signal mediums. For example, computer readableprogram code may be both propagated as an electro-magnetic signalthrough a fibre optic cable for execution by a processor and stored onRAM storage device for execution by the processor.

Computer readable program code for carrying out operations for aspectsof the present invention may be written in any combination of one ormore programming languages, including an object oriented programminglanguage such as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like and conventionalprocedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming languageor similar programming languages. The computer readable program code mayexecute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer,as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer andpartly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer orserver. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected tothe user's computer through any type of network, including a local areanetwork (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may bemade to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using anInternet Service Provider).

Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “anembodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature,structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodimentis included in at least one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases“in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughoutthis specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the sameembodiment, but mean “one or more but not all embodiments” unlessexpressly specified otherwise. The terms “including,” “comprising,”“having,” and variations thereof mean “including but not limited to,”unless expressly specified otherwise. An enumerated listing of itemsdoes not imply that any or all of the items are mutually exclusive,unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms “a,” “an,” and “the”also refer to “one or more” unless expressly specified otherwise.

Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics ofthe embodiments may be combined in any suitable manner. In the followingdescription, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples ofprogramming, software modules, user selections, network transactions,database queries, database structures, hardware modules, hardwarecircuits, hardware chips, etc., to provide a thorough understanding ofembodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however,that embodiments may be practiced without one or more of the specificdetails, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. Inother instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are notshown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of anembodiment.

Aspects of the embodiments are described below with reference toschematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams of methods,apparatuses, systems, and computer program products according toembodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block ofthe schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams, andcombinations of blocks in the schematic flowchart diagrams and/orschematic block diagrams, can be implemented by computer readableprogram code. These computer readable program code may be provided to aprocessor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer,sequencer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce amachine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor ofthe computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, createmeans for implementing the functions/acts specified in the schematicflowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams block or blocks.

The computer readable program code may also be stored in a computerreadable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable dataprocessing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particularmanner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readablemedium produce an article of manufacture including instructions whichimplement the function/act specified in the schematic flowchart diagramsand/or schematic block diagrams block or blocks.

The computer readable program code may also be loaded onto a computer,other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to causea series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, otherprogrammable apparatus or other devices to produce a computerimplemented process such that the program code which execute on thecomputer or other programmable apparatus provide processes forimplementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks.

The schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams in theFigures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation ofpossible implementations of apparatuses, systems, methods and computerprogram products according to various embodiments of the presentinvention. In this regard, each block in the schematic flowchartdiagrams and/or schematic block diagrams may represent a module,segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executableinstructions of the program code for implementing the specified logicalfunction(s).

It should also be noted that, in some alternative implementations, thefunctions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in theFigures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, beexecuted substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes beexecuted in the reverse order, depending upon the functionalityinvolved. Other steps and methods may be conceived that are equivalentin function, logic, or effect to one or more blocks, or portionsthereof, of the illustrated Figures.

Although various arrow types and line types may be employed in theflowchart and/or block diagrams, they are understood not to limit thescope of the corresponding embodiments. Indeed, some arrows or otherconnectors may be used to indicate only the logical flow of the depictedembodiment. For instance, an arrow may indicate a waiting or monitoringperiod of unspecified duration between enumerated steps of the depictedembodiment. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagramsand/or flowchart diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the blockdiagrams and/or flowchart diagrams, can be implemented by specialpurpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions oracts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer readableprogram code.

FIG. 1 depicts one embodiment of a communications cable 100 comprising acable 108, connector 112, a bi-stable liquid crystal display 110, andpins 114. The communications cable 100 may be any variety of cablesystem capable of transmitting a signal to an electronic device.Examples include, but are not limited to, coaxial cable, multicorecable, twisted pair cable, fiber-optic cable, and others. Thecommunications cable 100 may be an Ethernet cable, SCSI cable, FibreChannel cable, USB cable, or other variety of cable. The communicationscable 100 may be used to support a variety of communications, such asFibre Channel (FC), Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE), and others. Thecommunications cable 100 may be, for example, Category 7 cable. Thecommunications cable 100 generally includes a cable 108 with a connector112 on each end of the cable 108. The connector 112 makes a connectionbetween the cable 108 and the computer to which the communications cable100 attaches. The communications cable 100 may be used to connect to aSAN switch, a storage peripheral, a printer, a client, a server, orother electronic device. The connector 112 allows the computer tointerface with the cable 108 and send information over it.

The connector 112 may be, for example, an 8 position 8 contact (8P8C)(also commonly referred to as RJ45) connector commonly used to terminatetwisted pair and multi-conductor communications cable 100. The connector112 includes pins 114 that allow connected computers, SAN switches,storage peripherals, printers, clients, servers, or other electronicdevices, to send information over the cable 108.

The communications cable 100 may also include a bi-stable liquid crystaldisplay 110 (also commonly referred to as zero power displays). Thebi-stable liquid crystal display may be a ferroelectric liquid crystaldisplay (FLCD), a zenithal bi-stable devices (ZBD), a polymer stabilizedcholesteric liquid crystals (ChLCD) display, or other appropriatedisplay. The bi-stable liquid crystal display is made using materialthat can present an image and maintain an image even in the absence ofpower.

For example, the molecules in FLCDs snap to one orientation or anotherdepending on an applied voltage. The result is a light or dark section.The molecules maintain their orientation even after the applied voltageis removed. Thus, power is necessary to set the orientation (and therebyset the image on the FLCD), but power is not necessary to maintain thatimage. The bi-stable liquid crystal display 110 may have 10×10 pixels,20×20 pixels, or another appropriate number of pixels.

The bi-stable liquid crystal display 110 is configured to be positionedon an exterior segment of the communications cable 100. In oneembodiment, the bi-stable liquid crystal display 110 is located on theconnector 112. The bi-stable liquid crystal display 110 may be builtinto the connector 112. The bi-stable liquid crystal display 110 mayalso be a separate component that connects to the connector 112 or thecable 108.

In one embodiment, the bi-stable liquid crystal display 110 is an FLCDcreated using an Indium Tin Oxide (ITD) coated polyethersulphone film asa substrate. ITO electrodes are then structured and a polyamide isdeposited on the substrate using a flexographic printing process. Aroller may be used to orientate the direction of the FLC molecules.Transparent etched spacers of 0.8 microns may then be deposited.Polarizers are added to give a final thickness of approximately 0.5 mm.This may result in a bi-stable liquid crystal display 110 that is stableover human handling pressure and that works over a temperature range of−20 degrees Celsius to 70 degrees Celsius. Other approaches may be usedto create a bi-stable liquid crystal display 110. In addition, theapproaches are dependent upon the particular bi-stable liquid crystaldisplay 110 technology being implemented.

FIG. 1 shows only one connector 112 with one bi-stable liquid crystaldisplay 110. In many embodiments, the communications cable 100 will havetwo ends, both of which terminate with a connector 112 and bi-stableliquid crystal display 110.

In certain embodiments, the bi-stable liquid crystal display 110displays messages about the communications cable. The message mayinclude characters, numbers, colors, or some combination of them. Themessage may be descriptive. The message may be an arbitrary code which auser can look up to determine what the message means. For example, ifthe bi-stable liquid crystal display 110 can display only twocharacters, a two character message may be presented. A user can thenlook up that two character message (for example, in a message book) todetermine what the message means. Below is an exemplary table ofpossible messages that are codes and associated meanings.

TABLE 1 Message Message Meaning 00 No change to bi-stable liquid crystaldisplay 01 Make entire bi-stable liquid crystal display dark 02 Makeentire bi-stable liquid crystal display light 03 Optical Cable 04 CopperCable 05 Cable fully functional 06 Cable degraded, error prone 07 Cablecompletely non-functional, end of life 08 Untested cable 09 Cable hasworldwide cable name (WWCN) of       0A Attach this end of cable toworldwide port number     0B Unique barcode for inventory purposes 0CUsage statistics: % attaches used       0D Vital product data is       0E Warranty period has expired 0F 50 micron optical cable 10 62.5 micronoptical cable 11 Crossover cable 12 Straight-through cable 13 Length ofcable is       14 DICOM compliant cable 15 SCSI cable 16 USB cable

The above are simply representative of the sorts of messages that may bedisplayed on the bi-stable liquid crystal display 110. Other messagesare also possible. One embodiment is where the worldwide cable name,and/or the messages in Table 1, are stored as either a 1-dimensional or2-dimensional barcode on a bi-stable liquid crystal display 110. In yetanother embodiment, non-English characters such as Chinese Kanji aredisplayed on the bi-stable liquid crystal display 110. And, as notedabove, depending on the limitations of the bi-stable liquid crystaldisplay 110 that is used, the full message (as opposed to a message thatis a reference code) may be displayed on the bi-stable liquid crystaldisplay 110.

FIG. 2 shows one embodiment of a messaging apparatus 200 including adisplay module 202 and a bi-stable liquid crystal display 110. Themessaging apparatus 200 may also include a signal generation module 204.In certain embodiments, the signal generation module 204 may bephysically implemented in a separate physical device.

The messaging apparatus 200 allows messages to be displayed and changedon the bi-stable liquid crystal display 110. The messaging apparatus 200may be implemented in a connector 112, may be a physically separatedevice that connects to the communications cable 100, or somecombination thereof. The display module 202 may, in certain embodiments,connect to the pins 114 of the connector 112. Examples of possibleconnection schemes are presented below. In the depicted embodiment, thesignal generation module 204 is separate from the messaging apparatus200.

The display module 202 connects to the bi-stable liquid crystal display110. The display module 202 receives a signal associated that isassociated with one or more messages about the communications cable 110.The display module 202 causes one or more messages to be shown on thebi-stable liquid crystal display 110 in response to receiving thesignal. The signal may actually be made up of various signals. Forexample, the signal may include a set signal. A set signal, as used inthis application, tells which pixels to darken and/or lighten on thebi-stable liquid crystal display 110. The set signal may be a squarewave with amplitude ranging between +5 Volts and −5 Volts. The signalmay also include a horizontal location signal (indicating the horizontallocation of the pixel that is the subject of the set signal) and avertical location signal (indicating the vertical location of the pixelthat is the subject of the set signal). Thus, the signal may (forexample) include a first pulse with a set signal, horizontal locationsignal, and vertical location signal. The first pulse may set a firstpixel. The signal may include a second pulse that sets a second pixel,and so on, until the message is properly displayed on the bi-stableliquid crystal display 110. The signal completes with the last pulse. Incertain embodiments, the various different signals described above thatmake up the overall signal may be sent in parallel operations. In otherembodiments, the various signals may be sent serially.

A signal generation module 204 generates a signal to be sent to thedisplay module 202. The signal generation module 204 may be part of ahand held driver that is used to change the display. In one embodiment,the hand held driver is attached to the connector 112 of thecommunications cable 100 and sends a signal to the display module 202using a physical connection. In another embodiment, the hand held driversends the signal to the display module 202 wirelessly. The hand helddriver may allow a user to enter the message to be displayed on thebi-stable liquid crystal display 110. The hand held driver may allow auser to select a particular message meaning (such as the examples shownin table 1) and use the signal generation module 214 to send a signalthat causes a message that is a code (such as the examples shown intable 1) to be displayed on the bi-stable liquid crystal display 110.

In certain embodiments, the signal generation module 204 is part of acomputing device that connects to the communications cable 100. Forexample, the signal generation module 204 may be part of a switch. Insuch embodiments, the computing device may be configured to cause thesignal generation module 204 to send an appropriate signal in responseto a particular event without user intervention. For example, if thecomputing device determines that errors are being generated duringtransmission over the communications cable 100, the computing device mayautomatically and autonomously cause the signal generation module 204 tosend a signal associated with a message alerting the user to possibleproblems with the communications cable 100. In certain embodiments, auser may cause the computing device to send a particular signal. Thecomputing device may have a special driver port used to send the signal,or the computing device may be configured to use any port to send thesignal.

In one embodiment, the computing device is an end-to-end cable tester.In such embodiments, the end-to-end cable tester may cause the signalgeneration module 204 to send a signal causing the display module 202 todisplay a message including values such as the signal to noise ratio(SNR), resistance, and other relevant values.

FIG. 3 shows one embodiment of a connector 112 with a bi-stable liquidcrystal display 110 and a display module 202. The display module 202 mayconnect to particular pins 114 to enable the display module 202 toreceive signals for setting the message on the bi-stable liquid crystaldisplay 110. Certain pins 114 may be used exclusively for sending andreceiving data on the communications cable 100, while other pins 114 maybe used exclusively for sending signals to the display module 202. Thedisplay module 202 may connect to unused pins 114 in a connector 112 fora communications cable 100 supporting Ethernet. In other embodiments,the display module 202 may connect to pins 114 used to transmit standarddata over the communications cable 100.

For example, an 8 P8C connector 112 may use only four of its eight pins114 for Ethernet communications. As shown as an example in FIG. 3, pins104A-C and 104F may be used for transmitting and receiving data. In suchan embodiment, pins 104D-E and 1-4G-H may be used to send signals to thedisplay module 202. In other embodiments, the signal generation module204 (whether part of a hand held driver, computing device, or other)connects to the display module 202 using a connection that is separatefrom those provided in a standard connector 112. For example, an opticalcable may require that dedicated pins 114 be built in to supportcommunicating with the display module 202.

FIG. 4 displays one embodiment of a display module 202 that includes lowpass filters 302 a-d and high pass filters 304 a-d. The display module202 may contain more of fewer components than those shown in FIG. 4. Thedisplay module 202 shown in FIG. 4 may use lines in the communicationscable (such as the RX+, RX−, TX+, and TX− lines) that are used totransmit data and use these lines to receive signals indicating what todisplay on the bi-stable liquid crystal display 110. In one embodiment,the display module 202 contains low pass filters 302 a-d. The low passfilters 302 a-d may be used to prevent 1-10 GB/s information from beingtransmitted to the bi-stable liquid crystal display 110 andunintentionally changing the bi-stable liquid crystal display 110. Insuch embodiments, low frequencies are used by the signal generationmodule 204 to send the signal to the display module 202. For example, afrequency of 50 kb/s to 1 Mb/s or slower may be used by the signalgeneration module 204. Such a frequency may be sufficiently lower thanthe frequency for standard data to allow the low pass filters 302 a-d todistinguish between signals intended for the bi-stable liquid crystaldisplay 110 and those intended for computing devices using thecommunications cable 100. The low frequency signals are received by thedisplay module 202, pass through the low pass filters 302 a-d, andresult in a message being displayed on the bi-stable liquid crystaldisplay 110.

The display module 202 may also include high pass filters 304 a-d. Thehigh pass filters 304 a-d may be used to prevent signals intended to setthe bi-stable liquid crystal display 110 from being transmitted over thecommunications cable 100 to a computing device on the other end of thecommunications cable 100. The low pass filters 302 a-d and high passfilters 304 a-d may be resistor-capacitor (RC) filters, Butterworthfilters, or other appropriate filters.

In certain embodiments, the display module 202 may include only low passfilters 302 a-d. In such embodiments, the signals to set the bi-stableliquid crystal display 110 may be sent only when the receiving ports arelogged off or otherwise offline. Thus, all signals to set the bi-stableliquid crystal display 110 would be ignored by the receiving port. Suchan embodiment may still require low pass filters 302 a-d to prevent thehigh frequency data travelling over the communications cable 100 duringoperation from unintentionally changing the bi-stable liquid crystaldisplay 110.

FIG. 5 shows one embodiment of a communications cable 500 with a cable508 terminating in a first connector 512 a and a second connector 512 b.Each connector 512 a-b may include a messaging apparatus 200 as shown inFIG. 2 that includes a bi-stable liquid crystal display 510 a-b and adisplay module 202. Each bi-stable liquid crystal display 510 a-b mayhave its own display module 202. The bi-stable liquid crystal display510 a-b may be FLCDs that shown one or more messages about thecommunications cable 500. Thus, the first connector 512 a may have anassociated first messaging apparatus 200 and the second connector 512 bmay have an associated second messaging apparatus 200. Each bi-stableliquid crystal display 510 a-b may attach to a display module 202 thatreceives a signal associated with a message about the communicationscable 500. The display module 202 may cause the message about thecommunications cable 500 to display on the bi-stable liquid crystaldisplay 510 a-b that is attached to the display module 202 that receivesthe signal. The signal may be sent by a signal generation module 204located in a hand held driver, a computing device (such as a SAN switch)or other device.

In certain embodiments, the first messaging apparatus and the secondmessaging apparatus coordinate to ensure that the messages displayed ontheir respective bi-stable liquid crystal displays 510 a-b are the same.In other embodiments, different messages may be displayed on thebi-stable liquid crystal displays 510 a-b.

The messaging apparatus may be configured such that the bi-stable liquidcrystal displays display messages providing information about where theother end of the communication cable 500 is connected. For example, thebi-stable liquid crystal display 510 a may display a message about wherethe connector 510 b is attached (or should be attached). Similarly, theconnector 510 b may display a message about where the connector 510 a isattached (or should be attached). The message may include the hostname,port, switch name, blade number, port number, or other information.

FIG. 6 shows one embodiment of a method 600 for communications cablemanagement. The steps shown in the method 600 need not occur in anyparticular order. The method may begin with connecting 602 a bi-stableliquid crystal display 110 to an exterior segment of a communicationscable, such as communications cable 100. In certain embodiments, thisentails connecting the bi-stable liquid crystal display 110 to aconnector 112 for the communications cable 100.

The method 600 may also involve connecting 604 a display module 202 tothe pins 114 of the communications cable 100 and to the bi-stable liquidcrystal display 110. The method 600 may also involve configuring 606 asignal generation module 204 to send a signal to the display module 202and configuring 608 the display module 202 to show messages on thebi-stable liquid crystal display 110 in response to receiving the signalsent by the signal generation module 204.

The embodiments may be practiced in other specific forms. The describedembodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrativeand not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicatedby the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. Allchanges which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of theclaims are to be embraced within their scope.

What is claimed is:
 1. A messaging apparatus comprising: a bi-stableliquid crystal display configured to be positioned on an exteriorsegment of a communications cable; a display module that connects to thebi-stable liquid crystal display, connects to the communications cablewith one or more pins, and receives a, signal associated with one ormore messages regarding the communications cable, wherein the signalcomprises a set signal, a horizontal location signal, and a verticallocation signal; and the display module showing the one or more messageson the bi-stable liquid crystal display in response to the displaymodule receiving the signal.
 2. The messaging apparatus of claim 1,wherein the messaging apparatus is part of a connector for thecommunications cable.
 3. The messaging apparatus of claim 1, wherein thebi-stable liquid crystal display is selected from a group comprising aferroelectric liquid crystal display (FLCD), a zenithal bi-stable device(ZBD), and a polymer stabilized cholesteric liquid crystals display(ChLCD).
 4. The messaging apparatus of claim 1, wherein the messagecomprises one or more of characters, numbers, barcodes, and colors. 5.The messaging apparatus of claim 1, wherein the signal is sent to thedisplay module over the communications cable, the signal generated by asignal generation module in a computing device connected to thecommunications cable.
 6. The messaging apparatus of claim 1, wherein thesignal is sent to the display module by a signal generation module in ahand-held driver.
 7. The message apparatus of claim 1, wherein thedisplay module connects to the communication cable through one or morelow pass filters and one or more high pass filters separating a signalfor the display module.
 8. A system for cable management, the systemcomprising: a communications cable for communicatively connecting two ormore computing devices; a first messaging apparatus connected to anexterior segment of the communications cable, the first messagingapparatus comprising: a bi-stable liquid crystal display configured toshow messages; a display module that connects to the bi-stable liquidcrystal display, connects to the communications cable with one or morepins, and receives a signal associated with a message regarding thecommunications cable, wherein the signal comprises a set signal, ahorizontal location signal, and a vertical location signal; the displaymodule showing the message regarding the communications cable on thebi-stable liquid crystal display in response to the display modulereceiving the signal; and a signal generation module configured to sendthe signal to the first messaging apparatus.
 9. The system of claim 8,wherein the first messaging apparatus is part of a first connector forthe communications cable.
 10. The system of claim 9, further comprisinga second messaging apparatus that is part of a second connector for thecommunications cable.
 11. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or morepins comprise a ground pin, a signal pin, a horizontal position pin, anda vertical position pin of the connector.
 12. The system of claim 8,wherein the display module connects to the communication cable throughone or more low pass filters and one or more high pass filtersseparating a signal for the display module.
 13. The system of claim 8,wherein the bi-stable liquid crystal display is chosen from a groupcomprising a ferroelectric liquid crystal display (FLCD), a zenithalbi-stable device (ZBD), and a polymer stabilized cholesteric liquidcrystal display (ChLCD).
 14. The system of claim 8, wherein the messagecomprises one or more of characters, numbers, barcodes, and colors. 15.A method for cable management, the method comprising: connecting abi-stable liquid crystal display to an exterior segment of acommunications cable; connecting a display module to the bi-stableliquid crystal display and to one or more pins of the communicationscable; configuring a signal generation module to send a signal to thedisplay module of the messaging apparatus, wherein the signal comprisesa set signal, a horizontal location signal, and a vertical locationsignal; and configuring the display module to show the message on thebi-stable liquid crystal display in response to the display modulereceiving the signal.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein connecting thebi-stable liquid crystal display to the exterior segment of thecommunications cable comprises connecting the bi-stable liquid crystaldisplay to a connector for the communications cable.
 17. The method ofclaim 15, wherein the bi-stable liquid crystal display is chosen from agroup comprising a ferroelectric liquid crystal display (FLCD), azenithal bi-stable device (ZBD), and a polymer stabilized cholestericliquid crystal display (ChLCD).